Main Campaign Story
. This can be said to be a brief summary of the entire story-line of the main campaign and will be updated as new happenings occur. 1: Meeting of the Fellowship Valadore Steelcloak sat in the darkest corner of the Stout Stallion tavern in the town of Soqarquart, smoking his pipe and letting his icey-blue eyes scan across the tavern from under the everpresent darkness of his hood. He had earlier in the week he had put a poster seeking assistance in a private little endeavour on the notice board and had been waiting here for a response for several days. It was as he was pausing to enjoy his mug of chilled, oaken mead that a half-elf entered the tavern and appeared to be looking for something out of the norm. Years of experience had informed Valadore that he was distinctly out of the norm. The bard, (for which it was obvious to all he was, due mostly to the lute on his back, but more obvious to Valodore due to the subtle magic which exuded from him,) went first to the barkeep and asked a few questions, paying for a few drinks and information. He then joined the wizard in his corner, a rather knowing expression on his face. He asked about the job and was informed that it would take them to a local hero's crypt in search of a magical artifact. Leaving town they were informed of undead attacking residents of the town. Taking little heed of these warnings they set out to find the tomb. After a short while of traveling the two were accosted by a group of goblins led by an half-orc by the name of Richard, who had also enlisted the aid of a bugbear to assist in his banditry. the two were in no state to combat such a force and attempted diplomacy against the group, unsuccessfully. Fortunately, a nearby druid, who was meditating in her glade, and a ranger, who was guiding a pair of noble clients through the forest, heard the commotion and decided to offer assistance. With some help from their new, wilderness-oriented friends and some illusory sounds they managed to escape death. Unfortunately though, their trick led the assortment to the nobles, who were then eaten. After helping Juniper (the ranger) with her minor breakdown, the four adventurers band together. Juniper and Iriesys (the druid) were quite capable guides throughout the forest on the way to the crypt, which they were informed belonged to one "Krog, the Double-tongued." Upon reaching the tomb, they found a human corpse in front of the mouth of the cavern that lead to Krog's resting place. Upon attempting to inspect it, it rose and tried to attack the group, though an arrow from Juniper put it back down. This removed all doubt of the actions of the undead, and thus, most likely a necromancer. Inside the party came across a fork in the tunnels and decided to take the right branch, which lead them to a room with a large, stone coffin and the skeleton of a basilisk. Inside the coffin was a magical blade, the Wyrmbiter that Krog used to slay this very basilisk so long ago. determining there was little else in this room, the ventured left, finding another passage which lead them to the other chamber. There, a necromancer by the name of Hatham was raising Krog to use for his own ends. Upon alerting Hatham he turned and raised the basilisk in the other room to help him kill the Fellowship. Even these foes were of no match to the party though and were soon dispatched with the assistance of the much more willful than anticipated Krog. Leaving him to his rest once more, Valodore took the staff Hatham had used to raise the dead and proclaimed it his own. It was then that the party saw script on the wall of the tomb that proclaimed the arrival of powerful beings known as "Gods". The party did not take kindly to this news and decided to conquer these beings, banding together for the strength to destroy everything. 2: Danger revealed Soon after their defeat of the second-rate necromancer Hatham, the fellowship set out once more, intent on seeking more knowledge of the gods in order to vanquish them. Though initially the party did not know where to begin the DM, I mean, some local gossips rather conveniently mentioned a legend of a great canyon far to the West contained the remnants of an ancient civilization that is said to have once possessed great power. Their goal set, the group head off west. After a short time of travel, the fellowship were caught off guard and ended up in a pit. After nursing their sore backsides they soon located a side passage (the only passage, mind) that lead through a twisting tunnel filled with strange, fiendish rats. These, though were soon dispatched and the group were able to proceed and locate a small cult gathering. Using a certain amount of deduction and the large symbol found on the altar in the cavern and on Hatham's robes, they determined that the dissolving necromancer was, in fact, a member of this following, who appeared to be followers of a being known as "Naiyalax," one of these "Gods" the party had heard about. A quick donning of the robe, clearing of the throat and liberal application of rope, Aror was a cultist with a host of bound prisoners. Easily fooling the cleric leading the cult, the party carefully moved into position while the bard filled his pockets with a generous helping of treasure. Valadore's thunderstone proved an effective distraction to begin a confrontation with the cultists. Aror dispatching a few of the harmless newer members and even impaling the cleric when she charged at him. After witnessing the death of much more capable fighters than himself, the cult's vizier was all too eager to answer any questions the group had, after recovering from the all too sudden evacuation of his bowels. Aror: "What are these 'gods'?" Vizier: "They are beings beyond mortal comprehension, able to shape the world to their whims and able to exert limitless power." Valadore: "Oh, so there's a word for me now is there?" After only a scant few questions however, the vizier went the way of Hatham and dissolved in his robes like mist. The fellowship had what they wanted though, and soon found a way back to the surface via a ladder and trapdoor. After exiting into the light however, the group were knocked unconscious (after a little coaxing from an unprepared DM) by a band of gnolls and taken to their camp, though the ranger was able to escape by going back around and out the pit with the help of her ladder and a rope. At the gnoll camp, the fellowship awoke within a cage, being bartered off to a dark wizard by their savage captors. Some creative thinking with spells and assistance from the still free ranger enabled the group to escape and combat their would be slavers into submission. It is here the group meet a new party member; a glaive-weilding, pint-sized paladin name Aleira, who is easily able to rip through the gnolls with her brute strength. A short time later and a setting sun convince the fellowship to settle for the night, getting acclimated with their new hire before sleeping. Awakening finds them in a vast marsh wrought by the power of Naiyalax, who taunts the fellowship; Aleira answering back with indignation. Aror uses a smattering of common sense and guides the party westward, towards the canyon. The group are then accosted by a pair of troglodytes, but any misgivings are soon cleared by the bard and wizard. One of the troglodytes then begins to lead them to a place where they can leave the swamp, taking the group to a rather suspicious barrier of vines, wood and other plant matter, then leaves them. The ranger volunteers to enter the only passageway through the wall, a tunnel of vines, first. She is therefore the selected prey of the assassin vine waiting above, eager for the free meal. However, a halfling had been taken up by the vines earlier but had not been able to digest it, and she manages to escape, quite willing to join the party if it means that shell be away from this swamp. The tunnel is long and winding, leading to a vast, empty area of bog, surrounded by yet more vegetation and ending in a large pool of fetid water. The paladin, knowing no fear, steps forwards to investigate, some of the other following but hesitantly. In an example of the turtle and the hare that would make Aesop cringe, a five-headed hydra bursts from the pool, grabbing Aleira in two of its vast maws and ripping her in twain, swallowing her. The party turns to flee but finds itself blocked by a Green Hag, who commands the Hydra to kill them all. The druids sickle, Wyrmbiter and the fire of Valadore along with some clever exploitation of the hydras lack of intellect, the fellowship manages to overcome even this mighty obstacle, easily intimidating the Hag into diplomacy, her offering to take the remaining group to her sister, a much more hospitable sort by the name of NAME. Taken swiftly to the swamp witch's hut, the party soon learned she was of a much more palatable sort than her Hag of a sister, appearing for all intents and purposes to be a simple half-elven woman. She was much more hospitable than her sister, whether out of earnest or from fear of her life from a group that could fell a fiendish hydra. Allowed to sup and rest the night in the witch's den, Aror took it upon himself to thank her for all she had done for them. With his penis. Come morn', the group, rested and ready to go forth once again, the group were given one final assistance from the Witch and teleported a goodly distance from the vile bog and to... 3: The City of Lowbridge Finding themselves in unfamiliar territory; civilization, the group go off to search their surroundings and get their bearings. Beginning in an uninhabited alley, the group finds bearings in shrieks of terror from the local civilian populace. Running to the source of the commotion, the fellowship discovers a small horde of goblins with strange magical abilities; able to throw fire or even bolts of unnatural energy. However, as with most challenges, the fellowship makes quick work of the goblinoid menace. With a little leisure and a little fame, the fellowship is able to avail themselves of the services of civilization; new equipment, new spells and perhaps most importantly, a chance to visit a tavern. Of course, no adventurer can enter a tavern without finding a quest hook or two, and this was no exception. Darmon Darrek; a man of uncertain employers, liberal scruples and mysterious contacts. Darmon recognizes the skill the party displays through swagger and garb and decides to hire them for a "minor" concern, namely one involving several deaths around the city by mysterious causes. Darmon also offers the group assistance in the form of an unruly young woman who takes a quick dislike to Aror for his carefree mannerisms. The fighter more or less fails to keep the group from getting distracted; Valadore spending most of his time in his room, Aror finding a raven companion and a small orphaned girl who he decides to impart some skills upon, Iriesys joins him in the latter pursuit and the rogue vanishes. Eventually a lead is stumbled upon, a suspicious fellow singing a song about a noble family that fell from grace a near century ago that implies a horrid secret about the last descendant; one of undeath. Aror gives pursuit as the stranger leaves but is waylaid by the bardic tradition of the "mysterious rival." Upon updating Darmon of the situation's suspicious possibilities, the party manages to congregate enough to locate the stranger from the tavern, who quickly accosts Aror in a rather destitute structure in the poorer section of the city. Jonah Springhill is a difficult opponent for the bard to face, adept in close-quarters combat and capable of even sapping the magical energy from him. He is defeated, in the end, and interrogated briefly before being passed along to Darmon's benefactors. It turns out that Jonah was loyal to a man named Iortyn Hakethe; one who can claim direct lineage to a long passed hero and the mantle of vampirism, who currently dwells beneath the city and plots his return to society, as well as the death of a significant portion of it. Using Jonah's testimony and their own skills, the group manages to locate Iortyn's crypt, where the vampire is found pouring over a thick tome over a sinister goblet and bizarre dagger; the former wrought of iron and decorated with images of betrayal and murder wheras the latter is crafted from bands of obsidian and ruby crystal. Quick talk and doublespeak convinces the vampire that the group wish to serve him, intent to work subversively to make his ascent to power unopposed and simple. Somehow the bugger falls for all that. The group then heads out to prepare, purchasing a quantity of holy water that could bless a quasit and weapons with enough silver to make the Jarl of Markarth spit in disbelief. Again, despite what some may consider logic or foresight, Iortyn is surprised when he is surrounded and attacked by his "new recruits" and with their silver and blessed fluids they manage to bring him low, rendering him down to so much ash. However, one victory does not a war win and while the group was focused on the issue of the vampire they never spared a second look to the goblins, a mistake that would spell doom for Lowbridge as it was sacked by hundreds of goblins. Our intrepid heroes manage to only stem the tide in their mad dash out of the city and into the surrounding farmland. 3.5: No rest for the Wicked Intermission The party leaves behind the burning city of Lowbridge and set their eyes forward, only to have them spat in as a trio of owlbears were seen tearing up vegetation and feeding on herd animals. Relenting to heroic impulses our heroes set off from one fight to another, almost losing the druid's wolf to the raging animals. After dispatching the unnatural beasts Valadore decides to swell the ranks of his undead legion, taking the skeleton of the largest beast as his personal mount and beast of burden. The party then encounters the farmer who's land they saved from destruction. To the great chagrin of Aror, it is his father; Dunnham. He invites the group, with a little reluctance, to rest in his meager home for the night, as thanks for their deeds. Dunnham's house brings only dark memories for Aror and a meeting with the Little Old Man, a figure that has in the past encountered the party and made some enemies with his eccentric ways and mysterious abilities, who makes an extravagant feast for everybody while explaining where the group will likely end this particular journey, though explaining they are not yet strong enough to survive there. One awkward night's sleep later and the party make their way west, towards a canyon the Little Old Man told them about, but quickly instead finding their way interrupted by a crew of individuals lead by "Dick," the half orc that had harassed them what seemed like years prior. Party on party violence is never easy, particularly when one party possesses specific tactics for combining their talents to brutal effectiveness. Though a forte in combat does not guarantee victory against more diplomatic varieties of encounter and after half the "anti-party" were dispatched (including Richard,) the rest were persuaded to accompany the group rather than oppose them and possibly die. A quick reassessment of themselves has the party traveling instead north, towards a large, suspiciously solitary mountain that Aror recognizes as a location of rumor and potential treasure. How right he is. Almost a week of thankfully unharassed travel occurs as the party and their new "hires" travel towards a location they would later learn was called Mount Warden and find themselves at a small lumber camp at the mountain's foot. Here the party encounter a rather gruff elven man that Aror flirts, seduces and disappoints within a time frame of perhaps twelve seconds. Though after more proper introductions are made the elf, Felivous, agrees that perhaps accompanying this crew of misfits may be more entertaining than guarding a completely safe lumber camp. Aror heads off briefly to meet with a local huntress to exchange a shortbow he has no use for for a crossbow, to keep him out of the melee combat he is so often in and so ill suited for. Scaling the mountain the party finds evidence of extensive reptilian inhabitance, culminating in a small cave with a small collective of Kobolds, prompting round two of dress up. Aror vaguely disguises himself to look more impressive as the group has determined that Kobolds are meek creatures that will worship almost anything as an aspect of their "god" "Kurtelmak," a feature the bard takes advantage of. He proclaims their previous idol, a meteorite of Starmetal, merely a division of his own splendor and demands it be crafted into a form more appropriate and pleasing to him, leading to a small collection of starmetal weaponry for the group. He also extracts the information that another crew of kobolds have been worshiping a Wyvern at the top of the mountain, and these "heretics" must be brought to heel by the "true" Kurtelmak. The top of Mount Warden is inexplicably sheared flat and smooth and upon it rests a large, reptilian monstrosity with vast wings in place of forelegs and a scorpion-like stinger curls upwards from its rear. A host of kobolds prostrate themselves before the sleeping creature. The party crouches just under the lip of the mountain's crest and looks apprehensive. With the aid of some loose cover and the significant might of the additional members of the party do they vanquish the "false Kurtelmak" and discover the secret it had been concealing; a strange design Valadore identifies as the Perfect Geometry, a wondrous design that grants insight into the very nature of magic to those who can draw meaning from its precise design. After copying the Geometry into his spellbook, it vanishes and the stone beneath the group's feet begins to descend, leaving behind some of the large undead, their steeds and the "anti-party" hires, leading them into... 4. The Warden's Tomb Descending deep, deep, deep into the core of the mountain, deeper yet into the very crust of the earth, the party sinks into blackness. A torch is lit to reveal a long, marble clad corridor flanked by three pairs of wooden doors and ending in another and a single step forward by Valadore has points of the stone illuminate with arcane light, which reveals the enormity of the passage in its entirety as well as a spectacularly kept rich red carpet spread on the cold stone floor. The party, all alarm bells chiming a full remix of Darude's Sandstorm, proceed cautiously and attempt the parallel doors, which turn out to be locked and magically reinforced. Attempting to leave, dissuaded, they then find that the elevator will not ascend, grudgingly press onwards into the deep unknown. The second floor of the complex is clad in smooth limestone bricks and is a much more sprawling construct than the previous hallway. The party ventures through one of the paired, unlocked doors at the end of the first floor, leading them down a spiraled staircase to a another wooden door, this one guarding a minuscule room featuring only one other door. Several more small rooms and odd corridors follow, some rigged with traps of darts or swinging blades. One large chamber possessed a large pit in its center, on the far side four mysterious panels that would begin to glow faintly if a particular small statuette (several would be found in the dungeon) and would open a door just beyond the pit. Unsatisfied with the meager plunder presented by the current exploration, Iriesys commandeers the new recruit's services in giving the place another thorough combing. After magically transforming one wall from impassable stone into mere clay, the elves manage to locate and entirely unexplored half of the dungeon, replete with treasure and traps aplenty, along with another door down. The third floor of the tomb is formed from rough slate blocks and features some of the largest spaces found in the crypt. The first room the party enters connects both doors from the floor above into a decently sized room with two adjoining corridors. Traveling down the straighter corridor the party has a second run in with Liberal Bruce, to their great surprise. He informs them the next room is quite dangerous though he is willing to pay a "substantial monetary reward" for any... "alchemical curios" they may stumble upon in their spelunking, though has vanished by the time they return to him. The room Bruce mentioned contains several ornate coffin-like structures and one blatant sarcophagus. Each of them open to contain a new brand of undead covered from head to toe in cloth wrappings; mummies. A difficult battle ensues where almost the entire party is brought low by their terrifying visages and mighty blows but some clever spellcraft from Aror manages to keep him safe enough to rally his allies and bring the battle to an end.Category:3.5Category:Main Campaign